Blue Team Vs Red Team: Which One to Choose?
There are defenders and attackers in every aspect of computer security. To say that all criminals are evil and all defenses are good would be inaccurate. Both positions are beneficial to a company. The other query is which one you prefer to be skilled in. Professionals in cyber security frequently concentrate more on the defensive aspect of security. After all, it is part of our job description to defend against attacks from opponents. But defense alone cannot solve the problem. Hackers constantly improve their trade. They are improving at avoiding defenses and discovering new ways to hack networks and systems. Many companies recognize the significance of developing both offensive and defensive strategies. However, the question arises: should you prioritize playing defense or offense?
Table of Contents
Blue Team
Red Team
What is the Way the Blue Team Works?
What is the Way the Red Team Works?
Blue Team vs. Red Team
Activities
Certifications of Red Team and Blue Team
Roles of Blue Team and Red Team in Cybersecurity
Tools for Blue Team and Red Team
Blue Team
This team usually comprises incident response advisors who advise the IT security team on which areas to improve to avoid sophisticated cyber threats and attacks. If the red team plays offense, the blue team is on defense. The IT security team must also secure the internal network against various risks.
Red Team
A red team comprises cybersecurity professionals entrusted with offensive security responsibilities. Its members are ethical hackers who objectively exploit the system’s security to discover its flaws. Red team members use every available method or, better yet, a technique to exploit any system and the individual in charge of the system, policies, etc., to gain unauthorized access to the organization’s assets. After thorough examinations, they prepare recommendations and strategies to improve the organization’s security system.
What is the Way the Blue Team Works?
A blue team’s first task is to gather information and documentation to determine what needs to be protected and subject to risk analysis. The primary duties of the blue team are Security Operation Centre functions, Security Information and Event Management, packet capture, packet analysis, threat detection, solution threat intelligence, etc. They are also responsible for educating the staff about risk, its effects, and mitigating measures.
What is the Way the Red Team Works?
Before the exercise, the organization sets red team objectives. Red teaming depends on planning. It is a simulation-based attack that aims to gain access to specific data. So, once they have the objectives, they plan the entire scenario. The red team members will then start looking for and using any system flaws to gain access to the intended system without authorization. If the red team discovers a vulnerability, they will escalate it to see how far they can push it. After that, the red team will produce a report and analysis for the blue team outlining how to recover from and fix the vulnerability they found during their search. The systems and reputation of an organization may be significantly impacted by the cybercriminals’ use of numerous minor vulnerabilities that they chain together.
Blue Team vs. Red Team
Activities
Blue Team
- Identify potential attacks on the organization’s infrastructure using intrusion detection systems (IDS), security information and event management (SIEM) systems, endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions,
- To ensure there are no actions that might affect the network’s security, run DNS assessments.
- To protect workstations, control endpoint software and firewall settings.
- Analyze your footprint to find any potential breaches.
Red Team
- Simulate cyber attacks to find security vulnerabilities.
- Cloning a card to gain entry.
- Listening in on employee conversations.
- Discovering Application Vulnerabilities
Certifications of Red Team and Blue Team
Blue Team
- Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
- Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)
- CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP+)
- GIAC Security Essentials Certification (GSEC)
- Systems Security Certified Practitioner (SSCP)
Red Team
- Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)
- GIAC Penetration Tester (GPEN)
- Licensed Penetration Tester (LPT) Master
- Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP)
- Certified Red Team Professional
- CompTIA Pentest+
Roles of Blue Team and Red Team in Cybersecurity
Blue Team
- To defend against attackers and safeguard the organization’s crucial data.
- To collect data, keep security policies current, and perform other duties.
- Analyze network traffic and carry out risk assessment.
Red Team
- Penetration Testing.
- Web and iOS/Android application penetration testing.
- Try to increase minor vulnerabilities and link them together for a more significant effect.
Tools for Blue Team and Red Team
Blue Team Tools
- A honeypot is a fake computer used by hackers to attack computer networks. Once the attacker consumes the deception, the honeypot enables the administrator to gather all the necessary data, such as the attacker’s identity and the nature of the attack.
- SIEM greatly aids in the real-time analysis of network hardware and applications.
- Kippo is made to recognize and record (store) brute-force attacks and the attacker’s entire shell history.
- Artillery is a system for monitoring, alerting, and serving as a honeypot. You can also set it up to block users if they attempt to connect to a specific port.
Red Team Tools
- NMAP (Network Mapping), Nikto, Maltego, Shodan, and Wireshark are tools used for reconnaissance.
- Weaponization refers to the use of a tool to strike any target. The available tools include Metasploit.
- Once we have access to the system or network, we need to become root users; this process is known as privilege escalation. BeRoot, PowerUp, and BloodHound are the tools used.
- Cobalt Strike is a versatile Penetration testing tool for adversary simulations, threat emulation, and post-exploitation activities.
About InfosecTrain
A great way to assess how effective your organization’s detection and response plan is to examine it from the viewpoint of an attacker. Given the rising number of breaches and ransomware attacks, our strategies and technologies could be more effective. You can sign up for InfosecTrain’s Red Team expert training course, which will help you become an influential Red Team expert capable of fending off cyber threats and conducting fruitful penetration tests to find them. You can enroll in one of our numerous security testing training courses to aid your preparation.
Sonika Sharma
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